The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24

dogma about 1t, which has hidden the
beauty of the structure. But there is
one figure in it, which it has never been
able to entirely conceal; and that is,
the grand, beautiful, loving and Iowa
BILE personality of Jesus. Christians
have been divided by their dogmas into
sects. They have often elevated mere
distorted, human inventions into idols.
But rising high above all, has been this
fairest work of the Infinite artist; and
they could not help lifting their eyes to
it once in while, coming into fellow
ship with it. This communion with
the great Master, has had an inevitable
tendency to make men like himself
humane, brotherly and kind.
How could it be otherwise Let us
see if we cannot make still clearer the
thought, that it is inevitable that Jesus
should make the world better by his ex-
ample. Here is mountain that lifts
its majestic summit above village or
city. In the winter it is capped with
snow, which as it catches the first rays
of the morning sun, looks like crown
of gold. In the spring it stands like
massive emerald. In the autumn, its
grand form is ablaze with loneliness.
No empress could be arrayed in richer
or more gorgeous colors. The inhabi
tants come and go in its majestic pres
ence. In the morning they see it yelled
in mist. They ascend it sometimes,
and look out over the rolling landscape.
Does that mountain have any influence
over those people Yes, though they
may not be conscious of it. Certain
chords of the heart are touched by it.
AS it rises above the surrounding land
scape, so it awakens thoughts far above
the commonplace level of life. 1t teach
es people to admire the grand, the high,
the holy. Here is Jesus, rising in spir-
itual majesty above our common hui
manity. 1t is no more possible for us
to get entirely away from his presence
than for those people of whom have
spoken, to get wholly away from the
mountain that stands guard above their
town. In imagination we see him. We
talk about him. We admire him. And
so we are lifted up toward him in
thought, feeling and life. Here. is a
family who have masterpiece of art
hung upon their wall. The genius of
great artist has touched the canvass.
He has breathed upon it thought and
feeling and virtue. Now is it possible
for that family to go and come in the
presence of that painting, without hav-
ing something of it's beauty and good
ness breathed into their hearts and
revealed in their lives. Hanging upon
the walls of our hearts, though in some
cases, it may be, dust has been allowed
to gather upon it and obscure it, is the
beautiful image of Jesus. Can it be
otherwise than that it have tendency
to make us like itself? Of course, just
as person is much more influenced by
nature when he goes among the noun
tains, through the forests and fields
with the especial purpose of holding
communion with her visible forms, than
when he comes in contact with them
incidentally; just as person is infu-
enced more by picture when he sets
himself to study and admire it, than
when he merely chances at it now and
then, so Christ influences us much more
when we make special effort to come
into fellowship with him. This then is
what we are to do with Jesus, which is
called Christ. We are to hang his in
spring picture in the inner chamber of
our heart, as it were. We are to place
him before us as our spiritual goal.
However, in attempting to answer
this question, "What shall I do then
with Jesus which is called Christ ?n 1
would say more than this. Simply ad-
miring mountain will never carry you
to its summit. Merely standing before
library of choice books, will never
make person wise. 1t is well to ad-
mire great teacher, but it is better to
obey him. 1t is well to admire good
book, but it is still better to resd it.
In this Christmas time when the mind
SO naturally reverts to "the author and
inisher of our Faith" do you ask.
"What shall do then with Jesus which
is called Christ ?' Take him as the in
SEPARATION and guide of your lives. Walk
in the shining way which his footsteps
have marked out. And would offer
this exhortation not merely in general
way; but l would emphasize one special
quality in him which we shall do we'll
to initiate. Self-renunciation was the
most marked feature of the Masters
life. His whole life was sacrifice in
the largest sense. His entire mission
was a journey up Calvary. And he
says, "Whosoever will save his life shall
lose it; and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it," In saying
that self-sacriice is one of the most
necessary qualities of life, mean much
more than the sacrifice of our worldly
possessions though, doubtless, we
might proftably practice such sacrifice
oftener than we do. But there is more